Marshals OK Contract Retaining Wage Parity

The Orange County deputy marshals union has agreed to a new two-year agreement that is identical in wages to the contract ratified by sheriff’s deputies last week.

Historically, the sheriff’s deputies and the deputy marshals have received equal pay. Deputies in both groups now receive $2,220 to $2,983 per month.

Their new contract includes an overall pay raise of 14.25% by the time it expires Nov. 2, 1989. It also has a 3% raise, effective last Friday, and a $361 lump-sum payment by Dec. 31 that is equivalent to a 3% raise retroactive to July, when their contract expired.

There are subsequent raises of 3.25% in July, 1988; 4% in April, 1989, and 4% in August, 1989.

‘Parity With Sheriffs’

“We have always maintained parity with the sheriffs,” said Sgt. Gary Tackett, a negotiator for the deputy marshals. After the sheriff’s deputies settlement, “we anticipated we would maintain parity again,” he said.

The marshals union represents 200 deputies and sergeants who guard county courthouses and escort prisoners.

The agreement with the marshals was reached last week, but it was not announced until Monday. Tackett said the union membership approved the contract by a large margin, but he did not know the actual vote.

The Board of Supervisors is expected to approve the contracts for the sheriff’s and marshal’s deputies contracts at its meeting today.

The marshal’s deputies union is the second to ratify a new agreement out of the county employee groups that have been working without a contract since July.

The other groups include the firefighters, mechanics, welfare clerks, road repair crews, heavy machinery operators, landfill workers, sewage treatment personnel and technicians who handle the heating and cooling systems in county buildings.

Most of the other unions have meetings scheduled for this week. And union leaders said they expect to get a wage offer similar to the sheriff’s and marshal’s deputies contracts. If not, then they are planning to meet with each other and discuss a combined strategy, such as job actions.

“Every bargaining unit has unique needs, but we expect a very similar settlement,” Fred Lowe, director of the Service Employees International Union, said Monday. “If there’s no progress made this week, then we’re going to be looking to get back together.”

County negotiator David Carlaw said, however, the other groups will not necessarily be offered the same wages as the marshal’s and sheriff’s deputies.

“At this point, that’s about all I can say,” Carlaw said. “I remain optimistic, which is better than hopeful.”